The present invention relates to a light-shielding packaging system favorably employable for roomlight loading of a roll of a continuous photosensitive web into a process camera.
In the process camera, a roll of a continuous photosensitive web wound on a tubular core is withdrawn for exposure using a rotational supporting rod which is provided in the camera. The supporting rod is inserted into the inner space of the tubular core, so that the rod can support the photosensitive web roll. The supporting rod also serves to drive the web roll to rotate for withdrawing or rewinding the web roll. For the roomlight loading, the roll of continuous photosensitive web should be placed in a light-shielding packaging.
European Patent Application No. 0 181 417 A1 (issued on May 21, 1986) discloses a light-shielding packaging of rolls of light-sensitive material such as strip of photographic film or paper, for roomlight loading. The packaging comprises opaque material which protects the rolled material from light while leaving a leader of the rolled material exposed and which can be torn by pulling on such leader to cause the light-sensitive material to commence unwinding from the roll. A piece of heat-shrinkable sheet material is used together to cover the leader as well as a portion of the light-sensitive material.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,777 (issued on Mar. 29, 1988) and European Patent Specification 0 230 057 B1 (issued on May 16, 1990) both disclose a light-tightly packaged roll of light-sensitive material, which comprises an annular end cover for each end face of the roll and a circumferential cover wound around the periphery of the roll and having lateral extensions sealed with their inner surface to the inner surface of radially outwardly projecting margins of the end covers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,911,299 (issued on Mar. 27, 1990) discloses a strip of light sensitive material wound in a coil onto an open-ended core which is packaged in tearable light tight wrapping material protecting the rolled web while leaving an exterior end of the coil exteriorly accessible. The light tight wrapping material is tearable by pulling on the exterior end to commence unwinding of the coil from the core.
European Patent Application 0 681 212 A1 (issued on Nov. 8, 1995) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,472,089 (issued on Dec. 5, 1995) both disclose a light-tight packaging for photosensitive web roll having a flexible leader portion that overlaps the outermost first convolution of the roll. The leader has three stretchable segments which can cooperate with light-shielding flange portions to form light-tight labyrinth-type sealing.
Another photosensitive web roll supporting system in which a light-shielding adapter is used for supporting and rotating the web roll is also known. The light-shielding adapter comprises a hollow cylinder member having at one end thereof a light-shielding flange member. The light-shielding adapter is fixed to the core of the photosensitive web roll by inserting the cylinder member into the tubular core. The light-shielding flange member is simultaneously brought into contact with a side surface of the web roll so as to light-tightly seal the photosensitive web roll.
The present invention has an object to provide a new light-shielding packaging system for a roll of continuous photosensitive web wound on a core.
Specifically, the invention has an object to provide a light-shielding packaging system for a roll of continuous photosensitive web wound on a core which is utilizable in various process cameras equipped with different systems for supporting and rotating a photosensitive web roll.
The present invention resides in a light-shielding packaging of a photosensitive web roll comprising:
a tubular core having on each end thereof a light-shielding flange disc;
a roll of a continuous photosensitive web wound on the tubular core, which has a diameter essentially identical to a diameter of the flange disc, the photosensitive web having at a leading end thereof a light-shielding leader sheet which has a length larger than circumferential length of the flange disc and a width larger than a width of the photosensitive web, whereby each side portion of the leader sheet extends beyond the periphery of the flange disc to reach the outer surface of the flange disc; and
an adapter of rigid resin which comprises a hollow cylinder member having at one end thereof a flange member and which is detachably attached to the core by inserting the cylinder member into the tubular core.
In the light-shielding packaging of the invention, the flange member of the adapter preferably has a diameter larger than the diameter of the roll of continuous photosensitive web. The hollow cylinder of the adapter preferably has a tapered free end.
The side portion of the light-shielding leader sheet extends beyond the periphery of the flange disc and preferably is fixed onto the outer surface of the flange disc by fusion thereof.
The light-shielding flange disc preferably comprises a hollow cylinder having a light-shielding ring member at one end thereof or is composed of a combination of a light-shielding disc element and a hollow cylinder having at one end thereof a ring member having a diameter less than a diameter of the light-shielding disc.
In the light-shielding packaging of the invention, the hollow cylinder of the adapter preferably has on an inner surface thereof at least two grooves aligned in a direction perpendicularly to a plane of the ring member and the hollow cylinder member of the adapter preferably has on an outer surface thereof at least two linear protrusions aligned in a direction perpendicularly to a plane of the flange member so that each linear protrusion is brought into contact with each groove. Further, the hollow cylinder member of the adapter preferably has at least two slits which are placed between the linear protrusions.